Empirical Tour and Travel

4.7/5 – 14 Reviews

$2,585 pp (USD)

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Age at the end of the tour
*This tour does not accept children under 12.
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Arrival (See Getting There for more details)

Arrival (See Getting There for more details)

  • You'll be collected from the airport.
  • Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Day 1

International Airport Pick Up and Transfer to Your Hotel

International Airport Pick Up and Transfer to Your Hotel

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will meet our guide who will welcome you. You will then get briefed about your upcoming activities and depending on your arrival time, you will proceed with the Kigali city tour after check-in at your hotel.

Main Destination:
Kigali International Airport (Kigali)
Accommodation:
Lebanon Hotel
  • Mid-range hotel located in Kigali
Meals & Drinks:
  • Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included)
  • Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 2

King Palace and Ethnological Museum, Canopy Walk in Nyungwe National Park

King Palace and Ethnological Museum, Canopy Walk in Nyungwe National Park

After your breakfast, you will drive to the southwest through the greenery landscapes and stopover at the King Palace Museum where you will take a journey into the Rwanda origins and learn about the Rwandan king's lifestyle. You will visit the long-horn cows, the romantic ones who are always in the king' back yard.

Around noon, you will continue toward Butare city (the old Rwandan capital city) where you will stop to visit the biggest ethnographic museum in East Africa. You'll get to learn about the African tribes and traditional industry.

Later, you will experience a canopy walk by walking some 20 minutes in the forest and get your morning challenge by walking above the dark forest on an extended 200m and shaking bridge suspended above 70m. This will be a challenging experience where you will find yourself above the flying monkeys, birds, and tropical trees. The view is amazing!
Your overnight stay will be at Gisakura Guesthouse.

Main Destination:
Nyungwe National Park (Chimps)
Best Time To Visit June to September (Dry weather, best chimp trekking)
High Season June to September (Popular gorilla trekking time in Volcanoes NP)
Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot)

Wildlife in Nyungwe NP

Accommodation:
Gisakura Guest House
  • Budget guest house located just outside Nyungwe NP (Chimps)
Meals & Drinks:
  • All meals included
  • Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 3

Karongi

Karongi

After breakfast, you will drive some 2.5 hours toward Lake Kivu in Karongi. You will have your lunch and then grab your drink and go to respond to the calling islands. Beautiful and most importantly panoramically green. You will hike Napoleon Island and stand in front of the open thousand hills. You will be amazed by the view, the fruits and the blue monkeys, the birds, and the natural silence from one island to another.

Your overnight stay will be at Bethany Hotel.

Main Destination:
Karongi (Town)
Accommodation:
Centre Bethanie
  • Budget guest house located in Karongi (Town)
Meals & Drinks:
  • All meals included
  • Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 4

Transfer to Rubavu, Mount Rubavu Hike and Hot Spring

Transfer to Rubavu, Mount Rubavu Hike and Hot Spring

After your breakfast, you will drive about 3 hours toward Rubavu. You will reach Rubavu at lunchtime, check-in and have your lunch at Nirvana Hotel.

Later in the afternoon, you will go to hike Mount Rubavu. This mountain is over the city of Rubavu, this will give you a panoramic view of both Rubavu city and Goma city on the DRC side as Rubavu is the bordering city of DRC.
The hike will take you about 1.5 hours and then you'll go to enjoy the well-known Rubavu hot spring. You will just get off your shoes and jump into the water for your health. It will help you to relax and take away the previous tiredness. You will also experience your traditional massage before you get back to your hotel.

Your overnight stay will be at Nirvana Hotel.

Main Destination:
Rubavu (Lake Kivu)
Accommodation:
Nirvana Heights Resort & Spa
  • Mid-range hotel located near Rubavu (Lake Kivu)
Meals & Drinks:
  • All meals included
  • Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 5

Transfer to Kigali, Canoeing, Visit the Parliament Building and Kimironko Local Market

Transfer to Kigali, Canoeing, Visit the Parliament Building and Kimironko Local Market

After breakfast, you'll drive some 2 hours to Kigali. On your way to Kigali, you will stop in Musanze and go canoeing in the Mukungwa River, a river that is on the feet of volcanoes in Musanze.

After your lunch, you will drive straight to Kigali and go to visit the parliament building, which hosts the campaign against genocide to learn about the resilience and commitment of the current leaders who stopped the genocide and brought Rwanda to a significant successful level. The building is old and ornamented by gunshots to testify to its terrible and unique history among thousands of buildings in Kigali.

After that, if time allows, you will go to visit the Kimironko market to buy your souvenirs and meet our local people.

Your overnight stay will be at the Lebanon Hotel.

Main Destination:
Musanze (City)
Accommodation:
Lebanon Hotel
  • Mid-range hotel located in Kigali
Meals & Drinks:
  • All meals included
  • Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 6

Akagera National Park Game Drive Safari

Akagera National Park Game Drive Safari

Starting from Kigali early morning (preferably at 5 am), you will drive to Akagera National Park. You will check in at the park around 8 am and register at the park entrance. You will immediately go for your long day game drive. Our drive guide will order a packed lunch (sandwich, fruits, eggs, juices) and go for a game drive. You will start by the southern part of the park home of zebras, buffalos, giraffes, antelopes, and many other species including a variety of birds.
Around 4 pm, you will return to Akagera Rhino Lodge.

Your overnight stay will be at Akagera Rhino Lodge.

Main Destination:
Akagera National Park
Best Time To Visit June to September and mid-December to mid-February (It is drier and wildlife is easier to spot)
High Season June to September (The park is busiest at weekends)
Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot)

Wildlife in Akagera NP

GiraffeCommon
BuffaloAbundant
ZebraAbundant
HippoAbundant
White RhinoOccasional
LionOccasional
Show more
ElephantOccasional
HyenaRare
Accommodation:
Akagera Rhino Lodge
  • Mid-range lodge located just outside Akagera NP
Meals & Drinks:
  • All meals included
  • Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 7

Boat Tour and the Evening Game Drives in Akagera National Park

Boat Tour and the Evening Game Drives in Akagera National Park

In the morning, you will drive to Lake Ihema, the second largest lake in the country, and get in the boat to explore the big mammals and reptiles like crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, monitor lizards, and even other species coming to drink.
After the boat trip, you will drive back to the hotel for lunch and relax a little bit before you go for your evening game safari.

Later, you'll go for an evening game drive through the height of the park which will not only give you a rich spot but also a panoramic look above the five lakes between Tanzania and Rwanda. The sunset above the Akagera waterlands gives an unforgettable view of the sunset. You will then witness nocturnal species like lions, hyenas, leopards, bush babies, civets, and other varieties of cats.

Your overnight stay will be at Akagera Rhino Lodge.

Main Destination:
Akagera National Park
Accommodation:
Akagera Rhino Lodge
  • Mid-range lodge located just outside Akagera NP
Meals & Drinks:
  • All meals included
  • Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 8

Transfer to Kigali, Fly Back Home

Transfer to Kigali, Fly Back Home

After your breakfast, you will drive for about 3 hours back to Kigali. You will be transferred immediately to the airport to return to your home.

Main Destination:
Kigali International Airport (Kigali)
Accommodation:
No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks:
  • Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
  • Non-alcoholic drinks

End of tour (See Getting There for more details)

End of tour (See Getting There for more details)

  • Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
  • You'll be dropped off at the airport.

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Disclaimer

  • This tour is offered by Empirical Tour and Travel, not SafariBookings.
  • This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings.
  • If you request changes to this tour, the advertised rates will likely change.
  • The exact order, contents and rates of this tour are subject to availability.
  • If an accommodation is fully booked, the operator will suggest a comparable alternative.